The invention relates to medical methods and apparatus for removing body fluids from patients and relates to disposing of the body fluids.
Suction canisters are used in hospital environments and particularly during various surgical procedures to store drained bodily fluid from a patient. In general, suction canisters are used in conjunction with a vacuum source which enables bodily fluid to be drained from the patient and stored in the canister. Each canister generally includes a receptacle for holding the bodily fluid, a lid with a vacuum port and a patient port, a suction conduit connecting the vacuum port to a vacuum source, and a patient conduit for conveying the bodily fluid from the patient into the receptacle through the patient port. When the suction conduit is connected to the vacuum source, a negative pressure gradient is created in the interior of the receptacle so that the bodily fluid is drawn from the patient and into the suction canister via the patient conduit.
Other types of containers, such as urine collectors and chest drainage devices, can also be used to collect body fluids.
It has become important in environments such as hospitals to eliminate the handling of and thus reduce employee exposure to bodily fluids. Currently, hospitals dispose of such bodily fluid in various ways. Bodily fluid can be poured from the suction canister down the hospital sink and into the sewer system, can be incinerated as a liquid or solid, or can be disposed of at an approved hazardous waste site. If hospital employees have to handle the bodily fluid, spattering of the bodily fluid can result in hospital employees contacting the hazardous fluid.
The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for removing body fluids from patients and relates to disposing of the body fluids.
More particularly, the invention provides a suction canister including a container having a chamber for collecting fluids, a patient port, and a vacuum port. The patient and vacuum ports communicate with the chamber. When a vacuum is created in the chamber via the vacuum port, fluid is thereby drawn into the container via the patient port. The chamber is partially defined by a wall, preferably the bottom wall, including a protrusion extending into the chamber. The protrusion defines a passageway having an open outer end and a closed inner end. The protrusion includes a thin portion such that the protrusion can be broken to provide communication between the passageway and the chamber for draining fluid contained in the suction canister. Preferably, the passageway has an axis, the wall is molded with mold parts movable relative to each other in a direction parallel to the axis, and the thin portion has a reduced thickness in a direction parallel to the axis. This makes it easier to control the thickness of the thin portion during molding, because it is easier to control the relative positions of the mold parts in the direction of parting than in other directions. The invention preferably also provides a drainage device for breaking the thin portion of the protrusion and draining the canister.
The invention also provides a method of removing body fluids from a patient and disposing of the body fluids. The method includes the steps of providing a molded suction canister including a molded-in drain, providing a drainage device for automatically opening the molded-in drain and draining the contents of the suction canister, collecting body fluids in the suction canister, connecting the suction canister to the drainage device, and operating the drainage device so that the drainage device opens the drain and drains the contents of the suction canister.
The invention also provides another method of removing body fluids from a patient and disposing of the body fluids, the method comprising the steps of providing a container including a bottom wall having therein a drain, providing a drainage device for automatically opening the drain and draining the contents of the container, collecting body fluids in the container, placing the container on the drainage device, and operating the drainage device so that the drainage device opens the drain and drains the contents of the container. The drain can either be integrally molded with the container or provided by a plug closing an opening in the container.
The invention provides a suction canister or container that is easily drained of potentially hazardous fluid without contact with the fluid. The suction canister when used in conjunction with the drainage device allows a convenient means of disposing of the fluid content.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description, claims and drawings.